reply to post by TheColdDragon
Ahhh... I see. Your claim to Gnosticism goes a long way in explaining your viewpoint. I wasn't aware that any Gnostics still existed, but I do have a
cursory familiarity with their doctrine, having read most of their founding documents (such as still exist) at one time or another.
In the writings of the Gnostics, it is evident that they took issue with the teachings of Christ as presented, and set about rewriting for themselves
what he REALLY meant, in spite of the fact that they had no contact points with him. Sketchy business that, at best.
Regarding the Old Testament, the mere 'completion' of a thing doesn't automatically call for it to be discarded, like so much trash. He said He
came to 'fulfill' the law. Laws are fulfilled every day, but they somehow never fall off the books for all of that. At no point, save perhaps in the
Gnostic writings, did Jesus ever say that man was beyond the authority of God, and was an authority to himself, unanswerable to God.
"Love thy Enemy and turn the other cheek. Let he without sin cast the first stone. " and "to value his mercy and light" do not stand alone. To
take these teachings out of context, and apply only them, to the exclusion of the rest, presents a skewed vision of the total person of Christ. All
was, and is, not sweetness, light, and floating butterflies. Perhaps I do you a disservice, and am prepared to admit that you may not have explained
your entire vision of the Christ. Love will only carry one so far, before the moneychangers must be driven from the temple by force. "Christ preached
of unmitigated, total and unending forgiveness for all sins" is not a complete or correct statement.
To be honest, I'm not clear on the whole concept of mathematics validating the Bible. That question is out of my purview. Your blanket assertion
that:
Incidentally, Mathematics is a very weak argument to bring up as proof. Mathematical proofs can demonstrate everything, even things that are
effectively impossible.
I could prove, with math, that you are entirely composed of beetles... so really, with a creative enough proof, you can discover all sorts of amazing
things in the bible... which are only there because you made the math fit the situation."
IS within my purview, and is incorrect on the face of it, as well as inconsistent with your statement that:
Mathematics is self-consistant and concrete. It, above most any other science, is perfect; but that does not mean it cannot be abused for all sorts of
things. Just because it stays self consistent doesn't mean that one particular proof isn't just proving nonsense.
Stanford Mathematician notwithstanding. Either mathematics are valid, or they are not. They can't be used to prove a patent falsehood, and at the
same time remain valid mathematics. The mathematic 'proofs' of anything that is demonstrably false can always be shown to be flawed.
Be that as it may, I'm not here to 'convert' you. There's not a 'missionary' bone in my body. Believe as you will, I have no problem with your
determination of your own destiny. That's something we all will take up in due course with whomever we prove out to be answerable to. I do appreciate
your taking the time to enlighten me as to your thoughts, however.
nenothtu out